A motor vehicle comprises a drive-train with a drive engine, a clutch, a transmission and a drive wheel. In the transmission various gear steps can be engaged. The gear steps give rise to different step-down ratios between the rotational speed of a drive engine and that of a drive wheel when the clutch is closed. During thrust operation, for example when driving downhill, the motor vehicle is decelerated by means of the drive engine. If the transmission is not designed to operate without traction force interruption, then in order to change the gear step currently engaged the drive-train has to be temporarily disconnected by means of the clutch, and the drive engine cannot then exert any braking force on the motor vehicle. When the clutch is closed a jerk of the motor vehicle can occur, which is unpleasant for a person on board or may cause damage to cargo. Moreover, a component in the drive-train may be affected by more severe wear due to the jerking.
DE 102 16 546 A1 concerns a motor vehicle which can be slowed by an engine braking force. It is proposed to compensate the change of the engine braking force as much as possible during a gear step change of a transmission, by activating another braking device in order to maintain the speed of the motor vehicle.
DE 103 62 004 A1 concerns a similar technique, wherein the braking device is in particular controlled in such manner that a transition between braking forces of different strengths before and after the gear step change takes place in a predetermined manner.